The Best Day
by foxtrotelly
Summary: To a dying mother, a daughter sings of the best day yet.


Here's another one starring mother and daughter just because I love their relationship _soso _much. Basically, this story is yet another that sings in between the lines. Enjoy. (:

**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice copyright © Tachibana Higuchi, 2003-Present

_I don't own Taylor Swift's song either._

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_**The Best Day**_

_**By foxtrotelly**_

_~ Dedicated to Ariisha-chan ~_

_Hey lil sis. (: This wasn't what I exactly promised you but I wrote this for you anyway._

___**"So is Grandmum gonna be alright, Momma?"**_

Sighing, Mikan ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Natsuki."

The answer didn't seem to be enough for the eleven-year old, but as she perfectly knew that there were some other people who were tired aside from her declining grandmother, she had long decided to put aside her mother's inertness for the meantime.

"Why don't you rest now, sweetie?" Mikan suggested. "It's been an awful long day, you know." She gave a small smile.

The smile was there, but the warmth wasn't.

Natsuki simply looked at her with matching concern. "You too, Momma."

Mikan cast another glance over her shoulder at her mother's unmoving form. "I will soon..." Then she withdrew a shaky breath, saying wearily, "Because my mother needs me right now."

The younger of the two nodded, sympathetic. "I understand, Momma." She watched as her mother got up, but not before gripping at her mother's hand. "Be strong." Natsuki all but tried to smile, giving Mikan's hand a squeeze.

"I will."

Mikan walked over to her mother who was lying on one of the ward's beds, sleeping. The wing was empty aside from the three of them on that warm, sunny afternoon. She took a seat beside her mother's bed, keeping her eyes on the calm rise and fall of Yuka's chest. Then subconsciously, her mind backtracked to the events that had taken place just so early on the same day. Everything just seemed to happen in such a rush, making it much difficult for Mikan to collect her bearings and get them straight.

It had all started with a simple family breakfast. Natsuki had requested for pancakes and just as they were about to sit down to a nice morning meal, things went wrong. And now from the table they were sitting at just this morning, the sudden turn things had taken had managed to take them here.

Yuka fell asleep after an hour or so she was rushed to the hospital due to a sudden heart attack at the breakfast table. Natsuki, who was supposedly headed for school at that time, had decided to skimp out on classes just so she could come along as well. And then there was Mikan, who, frankly, was as busy as any single parent, and was not as prepared to lose one of the people who have been supporting her through her endeavor all this time.

_So why now and why me?_

Mikan looked up at the ceiling in hopes of finding the answer to all this. But sadly, reality gave her none once again for the umpteenth time.

"Mikan…" a weak voice called out. The brunette gazed down at her mother when she felt her rough, knobby fingers gingerly pat hers.

"Mum." There was no way of telling whose voice was weaker. "I-I'm here now, Mum."

"Glad you are, darling," Yuka murmured appreciatively.

"S-So is there anything you need? A glass of water?" Mikan asked, clearly troubled.

Yuka turned away from her daughter and looked longingly towards the window at the end of the room. "I want to get out of here, dear."

Mikan's forehead creased in worry. "You know you j-just can't do that, Mum." She warily glanced at the IV and other numerous tubes and things connected to her mother. "The doctor says – "

"But aside from that," Yuka spoke gently, ignoring her daughter's skepticism. "I want you to sing me a song."

This startled Mikan. "A-A song?"

Yuka turned her head around to face Mikan with sparkling hazel eyes. "Yes, Mikan dear, a song. A happy song would be jolly good."

Surprised at her mother's sudden request, Mikan suddenly became dubious. "Are you sure, Mum?"

Her mother smiled and nodded. "A happy song," she repeated, "would do me good."

"Ok then, Mum." Mikan's expression softened as she stroked her mother's graying hair. A soft, light hum sounded from her. Then gradually, it turned into an audible melody right until some words were made out from the brunette.

_**I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat on**_

_**I hear your laugh and I look up smiling at you, I run and run,**_

_**Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides, look now, the sky is gold**_

_**I hug your legs and fall asleep, on the way home.**_

_**And I don't know, why all the trees change in the fall**_

_**But I know you're not scared, of anything at all**_

_**Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away –**_

Mikan stopped, guilty. It definitely sounded like one of the days she's had with her grandfather when she was little. "I don't know, this doesn't feel right."

Yuka weakly chuckled, "It does, dear."

_**But I know I had the best day with you today.**_

_**I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean**_

_**I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys**_

_**And we drive and drive until we've found a town, far enough away**_

_**And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names.**_

_**And I don't know, who I'm gonna talk to now at school**_

_**But I know I'm laughing, on the car ride home with you**_

_**Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel ok,**_

_**But I know I had the best day with you today. **_

"You have a lovely voice, honey," Yuka suddenly commented.

Mikan looked away, muttering, "No I don't."

She stayed silent until her mother spoke up, seeming to sense that something was wrong. "Hey now," Yuka grabbed Mikan gently by the chin so that she could face her, "I could tell something's wrong. What is it, dear?"

"I – I don't know."

A trace of resent marked Yuka's pale face. "It's me, isn't it? It's your silly old mother, right? I shouldn't have – "

"It's because you're dying, mother!" Mikan looked up to Yuka with eyes sparkling with tears. "And I know I shouldn't be wasting time singing you these stupid songs when I should be busy looking for ways to get you well!"

"Yes, honey, someone's going to do that later but – "

"No, mother," said Mikan, firm. She got up, wiping off unshed tears with the back of her hand. "I'm going to go look for a doctor now."

"Mikan," Yuka called after her daughter. Mikan turned around again with questioning eyes. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry for what, Mum?"

Yuka gazed directly at her daughter with replicate brown eyes. She didn't have an answer ready for that just yet.

"I'm going," said Mikan finally.

To that, the mother had nothing to answer to either. And with that, she watched with sad eyes as her daughter left the room.

...

The doctor held up his clipboard and scribbled something on it, all the while muttering, "Right, right."

As for Yuka, she had taken to staring out the window for the past half hour in order to pacify her growing loneliness (and boredom). Late afternoon was fast approaching, slowly filling the room with a soft, reddish orange glow.

"Your vital signs are below normal, and so at this rate, we should have to check on that constantly," the doctor said, interrupting Yuka's blank train of thought.

She thanked him with a sincere, motherly smile.

"Thank you, Dr. Fujiwara," a voice by the door greeted the doctor as well.

"No problem, Mrs. Hyuuga. Just call me if you need anything more later on."

A moment of silence engulfed the almost empty ward once Dr. Fujiwara was gone. Several minutes later, Yuka broke the quiet. "Mikan, come on now."

No response was heard from Mikan as she continued to lean on the doorframe, arms crossed.

"You're acting very immature about this, you know," Yuka calmly reproved her.

She expected no response from her daughter once again, but was surprised by her when she suddenly said, "I'm still waiting for that answer, Mum."

Her words immediately struck a chord. "Ah, yes." She nodded, somber. Then she said, her tone contrite, "I'm sorry for asking you of something that was against you. And for that, I'd have to apologize because I made you waste your time."

"_Our_ time, Mum," corrected Mikan gravely.

Yuka continued, nodding, "Yes, _our time_. I'm sorry for bringing you trouble. And lastly," she paused, feebly taking in a deep breath, "I'm sorry for making you go through all this pain because I was never able to prepare you for this."

Frowning, Mikan crossed her arms and bit out, "We're not going to lose you yet, mother."

"Well then," Yuka sighed, "why don't you take a seat here so that we could talk properly?" She patted the space beside her on the bed invitingly.

After Mikan sat down next to her, Yuka sat up straighter and said, in a tender voice, "There, that's better, right?"

"You're going to have surgery the day after tomorrow, Mum," Mikan told her tersely, her eyes still away from Yuka.

"You know that's not the point, dear." Yuka gave a small exasperated smile.

"Natsuki and I… I – I don't think we're prepared – "

"I know that, sweetie. But then – "

"_I'm _not prepared for when I lose you, Mum," Mikan suddenly admitted, facing her mother with tears now trickling freely down her cheeks. "First it's _ojii-chan_, then Shiki-san, a-and even…Natsume. Now, it's just – "

Without hesitation, Yuka took Mikan into her arms and cradled her close. "It's alright, shh," she comforted her, "everything's going to be alright."

"I don't think anything will ever be a-alright," Mikan sobbed.

After Natsume's untimely death almost four months ago, things had never been alright for Mikan. Besides being widowed at a young age, she had to strive to raise Natsuki on her own and cope with their loss in order to stay strong for both Natsuki and her unborn child. Mikan had pushed away those who had tried to help her, and in the end, became detached to keep herself from being hurt even more.

But despite this, those who had always been by Mikan's side stayed by her side. And Yuka, as her mother, never gave up on her.

Stroking Mikan's hair, Yuka asked her daughter, "Mikan, do you know why every story has to end?"

No reply.

Continuing, Yuka answered her own question. "So that a new one can begin, yes." Mikan's light sobs lessened. "But then," Yuka spoke, "what do you think that has to do with life?"

Again, no reply.

Yuka placed a hand on Mikan's stomach. "So that new life can begin."

This time, Mikan looked up to face her mother."When he died, all I could think of was how to not lose any more than what's been already taken away from me," she began. "I kept telling myself to be strong, but somehow I just couldn't do so unlike before when he was always by my side." She uneasily ran a hand through her hair, and heaved a deep breath. "And now that you're here, I'm so afraid I might lose you again."

"But then, if you think about it," mused Yuka, "when your father died, I had you."

Mikan, stunned at the fact, was left speechless. She stroked the small bulge on her belly, then with a genuine smile, she softly sang.

_**I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger**_

_**God smiles on my little daughter, inside and out she's better than I am**_

_**I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run**_

_**And I had the best days with you.**_

As Yuka continued to hold on to Mikan like when she first held her in arms as a newborn child or when she embraced her as a proud new Grandmum, every feeling in her heart welled out so warmly it made her cry. And both mother and daughter basked in the afternoon sun, radiant and beautiful.

_**There is a video I found from back when I was three**_

_**You set up the paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me**_

_**It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarves**_

_**My daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.**_

Finally, Mikan laid down Yuka to rest.

Yuka wiped away the remainder of Mikan's tears. "Why don't you rest now, Mikan?"

"You too, Mum."

"I will, soon." The older of the brunettes smiled, her brown eyes shining with its ever-soft tenderness. "Be strong, then."

Mikan cast a look to Natsuki who was sleeping on the couch at the foot of the bed. "I will – for Natsuki, myself, and him." She placed her hand on her stomach, then lied next to her mother.

"Why don't you finish the rest of the song for me now, huh?" Yuka asked croakily, her breath now coming in short huffs.

_**Now I know why all the trees change in the fall**_

_**I know you were on my side, even when I was wrong**_

_**And I love you for giving me your eyes, and staying back and watching me shine**_

_**And I didn't know if you knew, so I'm taking this chance to say,**_

_**That I had the best day with you today. **_

"And you know the best day I ever had with you?"

"When was it, hun?"

"It was during that time when we celebrated my 12th birthday with nothing but a mochi bun and Shiki-san's lighter," laughed Mikan.

Yuka feebly smiled back. "Oh yeah, I remember that too."

Mikan gazed at her mother for a while before snuggling in closer. "Will you stay by my side always, Mum?"

"Always, Mikan. Even until my heart stops beating, yeah," Yuka answered undoubtedly.

"Love you, Mum." Mikan closed her eyes.

"I love you too, Mikan," Yuka replied, visions of serenity and appease now clouding her vision.

And she, too, finally closed her eyes.

_ Azumi Yuka lost to a terminal heart complication at the age of 45. But when she died, they could say that she had left this world with a heart and mind filled with so much warmth and happiness it had been enough for the rest of her days. It had given her rest she much deserved, but aside from that, it was clear to see that it had blessed her with something even better; peace. _

_ And her daughter was testament to that.

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So there it goes. And if you may have noticed, I changed some of the lyrics there so yeah. Btw, if any Taylor hater may reside here and there, this song is a must-listen so please respect that. Same goes for the Bieber Fever craze, I respect it so ditto.

_Review? :)_


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